Variety (December 1950)

INTERNATIOIVAL yAniETY 'VARIETY^r LONDON OFFICI • SL Martin's Placfj Trafalflar Square Japan Exhibs, Theatre Owners Open Washington, Dec. 12. Soulli America's two largest countries are continuing to provide substantial government support for the build-up of their film indus- tries, according to Nathan D. Golden, head of the film division of the U. S .Commerce Department. In Brazil, he reports, foreign dis- tributors are having little suc- cess in trying to get import quotas increased. Quotas for the second quafter. of 1951 “have been allo- cated on the basis of average im- ports for the preceding four years, 1946 through 1949; and in most cases will remain imchanged from previous quarterly quotas.” Government there piit through a regulation requiring film houses to show at least six Brazilian features annually, and freezing admission prices. One Rio-de Janeiro circuit, which refused to abide by the com- pulsory exhibition requirement, has taken the decree to court. New Brazilian studio. Companhia Cine- matografica Vera Cruz, has had such success with its first quality feature, released late in October, that it is expected other producers also will strive for: higher qual- ; ity pictures. I In Argentina, a recent decree , provides for tlie tlioalres to give . domestic features “all the advan-! tages and privileges that are.j .granted to foreign films.” Under j this regulation, Argentine pix must receive a minimum percentage of “5.0% of gross in first-run houses, 45% in intermediate theatres, arid 40% in other houses during first week of exhibition. If cret of ore, first-run situations paid only 40^0 and others 35% in the initial week, with 25% thereafter. In addition, first-runs must play Argentine films a minimum of one week. If receipts are of what is required to holdover a foreign film, then the Argentine picture must be kept for a .second week. First-run and intermediate thea- tres must show Argentine product for one week in each month and other theatres mustscreen them three weeks out of six. Last Sep- tember, the Under Secretariat of information c 1 o s e d a leading Buenos Aires theatre over the weekend because it failed to dis- lodge an American film after three weeks and to put in an Argentine pic. LastDitch Drive Vl F orei^ Players Fails Despite Union Efforts London, Dec. 5. I A new last-ditch offensive by i trade union leaders to curb the I entry of foreign artists and techni- ci-ns into Britain is meeting with failure. Every individual applica- tion has been the subject of opposi- tion, but on each occasion there ultimately has been a climb-down, and the permit granted. The re- sistance by the Ministry of Labor to the union pressure is giving rise to hopes of a freer exchange of tal- ent across the Atlaritic. It is felt here that during the Festival of Britain period next year, there will be an unprecedent- ed demand for some of the biggest show biz names for legit and yaude, and particularly for cabaret. West End cafe operators are all set for the biggest buying spree of inter- national talent for the summer sea- son, ■■, Although the government cori- tinuGS to be accommodating, the unions involved show no sign of relaxing their attitude. With Eyes Glosed, Yet Paris, Dec. 5. The newspaper Paris^Soir ran this ad recently: “Parisiari ballet troupe is looking for a Maecenas, Age . and position immaterial, Sole requirement: to have 15,000,- 000 francs Imirtimurti) to put into the business i with eyes closed). Apply to; Michel de Bry, Ballets Jean Babiiee.” Companies in Arg. BuenOs Aires, Dec. 5. As the year draws to a close, a whole flock of new production com- panies are being set up, all hoping to cash in during 1951 if ho deal is made to renew U. S. imports. Among the new outfits is Hori- zonte, formed by Argentine scenar- ist UlyseS Petit de Murat, along with Tulio Demichellii Leon Kli- movsky and Enrique Faustin. Cbm- paiiy’s initial production will be a filmizatiort of William Hudson’s “The Purple Land,” to which Nar- eiso Maschinandiarena, formerly wilh San Migiiel Studios, has the filrii rights. The second production will be a mystery, ‘‘Calibre 45,” to be directed by Klimovsky. J ulio Villareeal will distribute for the outfit. Another new producing ui^it is Kine-Rector, which has its studios in the northern city of Tucuman, This company is due to start roll- ing “Meekness” by . Gui Ilernio Trojas. Plans for next year also indicate a concentration on bringing in more imported talent and in turn- ing out foreign-language as well as Spanish-speaking product. ISHAWCROSS WARNS BRIT I « Washington, Dec. 12. Finnish film studios, staggering | under a burden of mounting costs j and. continued labor trouble, are j hoping to complete about 15 fea- tures by the end of this year, ac- cording to Nathan D. Golden, film expert for the JD. S. Commerce De- partment. Due to inflation, a pic- ture which cost about 6,000,000 Finnriiarks back in. 1946, costs 10,- 000,000 to get into the can these days. (231 Finrimarks equal $l in American money;) . . . , Finland has run into additional trouble because of the scarcity of rawstock. Due to exchange restric- tions, .neither dollars .nor enough pounds sterling have been avail- able for the purchase of American or British raw film. Thus, the bulk of the imports is coming from Rus- sia, with most of the remainder frorii Britain. Theatre ticket prices were hiked in February and again in June. Attendance has been Off, and about 30 picture theatres fold-, ed. However, 19; hew ones opened arid another one or two are sked- ded to start runs in the outskirts of Helsinki. His Master's Voice Berlin, Dec. 5. Latest Communist propagan- da poster to be plastered all over East Berlin Is a cartoon of an old-fashioned phono- graph with Secretary of State Dean Acheson’s face inside the speaker. Sitting in front of the speaker is a dog \yith the face of Bonn Chancellor Kon- rad Adenauer. The caption is “His Master’s Voice.’’ London, Dec. 12. Unlimited dollars won’t be avail- able for film imports in the near future, and therefore it’s necessary to develop the domestic industry, Attorney General Sir Hartley ShaWefoss told the Cinematograph Exhibitors Assn, banquet tonight (Tues.). Buildup of the British industry, Sir Hartley emphasized, wouldn’t be settled by government decrees and quotas, However, he suggested that improvement in the situation might be accomplished by a pool- ing of ideas and finance. Admitted- ly exhibs have a wider choice of films from Hollywood, but the official considers this as a short- term view when the national in- terest is weighed. Paris, Dec. 5. Even if shortage 6f available funds prevents the French from getting good TV pi‘ograms, tech- nically they are making every ef- fort to keep up-to-date. Airings now are both on the old 455 defini- tion arid the new 8i9. This permits the set makers to plug the new equipment without getting opposi- tiori from holders of the old sets. One way the French Want to solve the TV opposition in theatres is by equipping houses with video equipment which will permit the audience to got the normal pro- gram and also TV newsreels. To this end, the Gaumont circuit has equipped the- 7()0-seat Made- leine Cinema with 819-definition equipment devised by Etablisse- ments Debrie and Radio-CM In- dustrie. The Madeleine screen will get the images picked up by trucks with antennae in town, the video camera being joined to the truck by a cable. At the theatre ariother antenna is figged so as to pick up the trucks’ transriiission, with the developing and projection on 16m taking less than 90 seconds. If a patron is caught by the camera on entering the theatre, by the time he gets seated he sees his own iiriage on the screen. Sydney, Dec. 5. End of year should see the der velopment of a hot battle be- tween distributors and exhibitors here on the current quota setup i covering both U.S. and*British pix, according to latest industry re- ports. The quota law says exhibs must screen a certain numbe;r of Aussie-made pix per annum and also 15% of British films. Exhibs also have the right to reject 25% of U, S. pictures contracted for in order to play the local product. But since insufficient number of home pix have been made to cover the quota decree, exhibs now are claiming that the screening of 52 Aussie-made newsreels per year gives them the right to reject a U. S. feature film. Now the eight major tJ. S. dis- tribs here contend that legally no exhib has the right to reject a U. S. production simply by screen- ing Aussie newsreels. Also that pix contracted for must be played or paid for under contract terms. The Aussie Exhibs Assn.- will fight this edict. Tokyo, Dec. 5. Japanese film and theatrical in- dustry, by its bwri admission “fast approaching financial bankruptcy and ruin,” has launched n concerU ed drive for reduction of the na- tion’s 100% admissipn tax. Japan Theatre Owners Assn, and Japan Motion Picture Assn, issued a joint White paper on the tax problem, setting forth scores of reasons why the tax ori cinema houses shriuld be slashed to 50% .and wiped out eritirely for legit, opera, ballet and concert performances. Admission tax in ;japan is a mu- nicipal levy and acepunts for nearly 10% of local fiscal revenue. The White paper charges that the tax has resulted In (1) a drastic cut in production costs of native films resulting in a deplorable deteriora- tion in quality, (2) detefioratiori of theatre facilities, (3) deterioration of services catering to customer comfort arid cpnvenierice, and i4) decrease in salaries and \vages. The paper says the industry has been virtually taxed to death by the con- fiscatory and short-sighted policy > of the government. Japan’s admission tax, at one time 200%, was slashed to 100% last March. At that time the trade argued the reduction would enable owriers to cut the admission scale, resulting in an atteridance ifpswing and a generally more healthy situ- ation. But Japan’s deflationary trend and general money shortage which began late in 1949 has re- sulted in a 10% drop in admissions/ w iping out the favorable effects of the tax reduction. Granada British Chain Panto for Filins Loridoni Dec . 5^ Operating at the Usual admission charges with a top of 64c ancl a minimum of 28 c, the Granada group is presenting pantomime as a Christmas attraction at some of their theatres in lieu of films. Pro- duction Of “Cinderella,” with Hal Monty starred, opens at their Tooting house Dec. 26, arid will then play other theatres in the cir- cuit including Sutton, Woolwich and Clapham Junction, A second production of “Jack and the Beanstalk” .\viU open at Shrewsbuvy on the same date for three: weeks before transferring to Eugby. Paris Commies Strive To Belittle Yanks Paris, Dec. 5. Via newspapers iand all other available media, communist propa- ganda is. reaching unprecedented intensity here though it is not al- ways accurate. Much of the propa- ganda is meant to destroy French confidence in the U. S. and make American characters despicable. capitalizing on Errol Flynn’s re- I cent difficulties, the publicalion I “Combat” printed B picture of him behind bars, taken from a picture. This big type said: “Has Errol Flynn been arrested?” with small type at the end saying “above pic- ture was taken from a film, many of which, show Flynn behind bars.” Lury Quits U in Far East Tokyo, Dec. 5. Robert M. Lury, un'^til recently Far Eastern supervisor for Univer- sal, wuth headquarters^ in Singa- pore, has left U to set'up his own distribution operation ‘ here under the nariae of Select International Films. Lury has concluded a pact w’ith Eagle Lion Clas.sics to handle the firm’s product in Japan. Lury will release the films through Shochiku Theatrical Co., major Japanese distrib. Mr. Lury was borri’ in Japan and before the: war w'as managing di- ' rector for Universal here*. Biggest Color Puppet Cartoon Washington, Dec. 12. Largest color puppet cartoon ever produced in Europe is in the works at Cinetone Studios in Am- sterdam, the Netherlands, accord- ing to the U. S. Commerce De- partment. Film, which will run 10 min- utes, has been ordered by Philips of Eindhoven, one of the world’s largest electrical products firms, I as a promotion stunt to advertise jits new line of television sets. It will :be given worldwide distribu- tion. . 5 UNIONS HUDDLE ON BRITISH FILM CRISIS London, Dec. 12. A public conference on the Brit- ish film crisis is to be opened by Sir Laurence Olivier, it being con- vened under the auspices of the Film Industry’s Employees Council, a federation of five of the six in- dustry unions. The National Assn, of Theatrical and Kine Employees withdrew from the organization some time back. The conference will open Jan. 21 at Wyndham’s theatre. Organizing committee in- cludes, besides Olivier, Sir Ralph Richardson, Dame Sybil Thorn- dyke, David Lean^ John Mills arid Anthony Asquith. There will not only be a general discussion on crisis problems, but a concrete program for submis- sion to the government will be pre- sented, In addition to members of sponsoring organizations, invita- tions are being extended to em- ployers’ groups, political parties and trade union executives. Berlin Film Festival Skedded for June, ’51; Russo Nations Ignored Berlin, Dec. 5. Berlin w ill hold an International Film Festival June 7-16 next year. The Berlin Magistrat, Berlin film associations and other groups have been working hard on the project for some time now, arid have made extensive arrangements already. Nations invited to contribute from one to three pix in the com- petition include U. S., England, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Hol- land, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Israel, Egypt, Mexico, Australia, India and Greece. The public will also be asked to participate in the voting. Details are now being w-orked out to hold the International Cul- i tural Film Festival in Berlin at the same time. It is scheduled to be staged in Salzburg, but Berlin film people believe the cultural group would be happy to participate in the Berlin affair. Another factor w'hich w'ould influence a move from ! Salzburg is the very favorable ! financial setup which is backing ' the festival. <Figures sJiov; weeks of run) Loridon, Dec. 12. “Accolade,’* Aldwych (14). “Ace of Clubs,” Cambridge (27). “Blue For Bay/’His Majesty’s (2). “Capt. Carvallo,” Garrick (18). “Carousel,” Druiy Lane (27). “Cocklail Party,” New (32). “Dear Miss Phoebe,’* Phoenix (9). “Dish Ean Away,” Vaude (24). “Follies Bergere,” Hippl (62). “His Excellency,’* Piccadilly (29). “Holly and Ivy,” Duchess (31). “Home & Beairiy,” St. Mart (11). “Home at Seven/* Wynrh’m (401 “King Rhapsody/* Palace (64). “Knight’s iVIadn’ss,” Vic. Pal. (39). “Latin Quarter,” Casino (39). “Little Hut,” Lyric (16). “Mister Roberts,” Coliseum (21). “Reluctant Heroes,” W’teh’ll (13). “Return to Tyassi/' York’s (2). ^‘Ring Round Mo,oh,” Gl’be (37). “Seagulls Bbiprentri/* Apollo (26). “2d TariquerB;^/’ Haymark’t (15). “Take It From Us/’ Adelphi (6). “To Dorothy/’ Savoy (3). “Top of Ladder,” St. jas. (9). “Touch & Go,” Wales (29). “Who Is Sylvia,” Criterion (7). “Will Any Gent,” Strand (14). “Worm’s View,” Comedy (190), CBOSED LAST WEEK “Fourpostet,” Ambassador’s (8). “Party Manners/* Princess (5)). Lortghairs Already Set For Aussie ’51 Jubilee Sydney, Dec; 5. Shows in Australia ' (Wee/c ending Dec. 2) SYDNEY “Bonaventure’* (Williamson), Royal. Gilbert & Suillvan (Williamson), Empire.. “Message for Margaret” (Fuller), Palace; (opening Dec. 8). Aussie government, in assoeia-I MELBOURNE “Highwayman” (Samuels), King’s. “Worm’s Eye View” (Williamson), tion with the Australian Broadcast- ing Commission, is importing soeko talent lineup for concert runaround during the Australian jubilee cele- ■ brations early next yejir, Talent j will also go oyer the ABC hort- commercial radio netw’ork. Those booked so far include Mar- jorie La wTence, Harold Blair, Fa- ther Sydney MacEwan, Dr. George rourist Trade’* (David Martin revue), Tivoli. . ”‘Ice Follies’* (David Martin), HiS Majesty’s. / ADELAIDE Ball, Kichard Farrell, Ricardo Od-1 Noway-’ (Williamson). ! Beryl Klmber. '-s ->aJi^*‘VeiiusCoinestoTown’*(Wal- Turkish-German Pix Trade Up^^ace revue), Royal. Washington, Dec. 12. Lack Of American and British exchange in Turkey is causing a resurgence ,o£ German trade in. motion picture equipment, reports Nathan D. Golden, Mm expert for U. S. Commerce Department. “With the resurgence of Turk- ish-German trade the bast year,” says Golden, “a, sub,stanjiat qiianti- , ty of replacement parts have been^i “Oklahoma’* Majesty's. (Williamson), His ‘Salesman* Scores in Uruguay Montevideo, Dec. 5. . Narciso Ibanez Menta is rated a hit here for his direction and portrayal of the lead in the Span- ish translation, of “Death of a Salesman,” now at the Sodre thea- imported, as a result of which it i ire. I has been possible to keep prewar 1 Here, after a successful run in I pvo.tectors of German manufacture Buenos' Aires, its playing here to 1 in .satisfactory condition/* ' packed houses.